My goose has cancer? Or something else?

She's barely eating anything but she's got more spunk all of a sudden
Here’s a guide on how to give oral meds https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...dications-to-all-poultry-and-waterfowl.73335/



That’s good! If she completely stops eating youll need to start tube feeding her immediately though.
Tube feeding seems daunting at first but it’s simpler than it seems, but you’ll need a 60 ml syringe and a stomach tube for lambs
They look like this and there’s a good chance your vet has some https://www.premier1supplies.com/p/stomach-tubes


First you mix some feed with boiling water, let it cool until you can touch it without being burned but it’s still hot. It can be tricky figuring out the food to water ratio because it gets thicker as it mixes and you want it watery enough that you can still suck it up in the syringe.
The reason it has to be reasonably warm is it helps the stomach digest, cold feed directly delivered to the stomach causes digestion to slow down.

Next you suck the mixture up in the syringe, fill the whole tube.

Then squat over your goose, not sitting on her but just using your legs and body to keep her in place.

With one hand pinch the corners of her mouth until she opens, then open up her mouth and insert the end of the tube down HER right side of the mouth, you might see it as a lump going down the right side of her neck, you’ll also be able to feel it, it’s crucially important that it goes down the right side, down her throat and not down to her lung.

As soon as the tube is down hot the plunger and give her the whole dose. Then pull the syringe out. It can help her keep it down if you hold her head up for a moment after you pull the tube out.

The faster you do the process of feeding her the less stressful it is on her.
Feeding twice to 3 times a day will maintain her weight.
 
If she does actually have cancer the prognosis is unfortunately not good. With reproductive cancers in chickens suprelorin implants can sometimes shrink them, but they need to be replaced yearly I think.
 
My hen Blueberry went to the vet this morning and he said she was in pretty bad shape and if the antibiotics hadn't helped he was thinking it could be marek's disease. So we decided to put her down to end her suffering. I don't think she would have responded to a third antibiotic if the first 2 did nothing. Tylosin still hasn't come in yet by mail. We are shipping her to the city to get a necropsy so we know what this was. I'm afraid for the rest of my flock. I have 21 others. Thank you for all your help. If you want I'll take a pic of the necropsy report and post it here. It may take a week to receive.
 
My hen Blueberry went to the vet this morning and he said she was in pretty bad shape and if the antibiotics hadn't helped he was thinking it could be marek's disease. So we decided to put her down to end her suffering. I don't think she would have responded to a third antibiotic if the first 2 did nothing. Tylosin still hasn't come in yet by mail. We are shipping her to the city to get a necropsy so we know what this was. I'm afraid for the rest of my flock. I have 21 others. Thank you for all your help. If you want I'll take a pic of the necropsy report and post it here. It may take a week to receive.
I’m so sorry! You did all you could, It is very hard to bring them back when they’re that sick so you did the humane thing and ended her suffering.


There’s been limited information on wether or not geese can actually get Merek’s, most of which just references an alleged case that was never verified or state that a flock of geese had it but didn’t provide further information, in other words there isn’t clear information out there about wether or not geese can actually acquire the virus. Merek’s is sadly fairly common in backyard chicken flocks, geese are an uncommon poultry but even so if geese were susceptible to merek’s it should present more often with sick geese carrying and shedding the virus. If the results come back and she did have the virus please share this information with us if you can, it will impact how a lot of us keep geese.

If your goose did have mereks it also means that the rest of your flock is also exposed, and there sadly is no treatment. Some have managed to extend their birds lives and limit tumor development with high doses of B vitamins and antivirals that target other herpes related viruses but it hasn’t cleared the virus, just delayed the outcome. 😞
 
I'm so sad to report blueberry (Wyandotte chicken) had Mareks disease. My goose Gretchen had cancer. I didn't actually get a written report. My vet just called me and told me everything, I didn't know that's how they did it. I'm devastated.

At first 2 of my hens were breathing heavy and sneezing for a few days. And I thought this was the beginning of it but they just stopped and are acting fine now. No one is showing symptoms yet which I don't understand because from everything I've read online about Mareks it says it spreads quickly and you can lose half your flock within 48 hours.

Now I only have one goose, she's been looking for her sister and I feel terrible. She has 5 ducks that she spends time with but they don't graze with her of course. Should I get her a partner? Or will she be okay with the ducks?
 
I'm so sad to report blueberry (Wyandotte chicken) had Mareks disease. My goose Gretchen had cancer. I didn't actually get a written report. My vet just called me and told me everything, I didn't know that's how they did it. I'm devastated.

At first 2 of my hens were breathing heavy and sneezing for a few days. And I thought this was the beginning of it but they just stopped and are acting fine now. No one is showing symptoms yet which I don't understand because from everything I've read online about Mareks it says it spreads quickly and you can lose half your flock within 48 hours.

Now I only have one goose, she's been looking for her sister and I feel terrible. She has 5 ducks that she spends time with but they don't graze with her of course. Should I get her a partner? Or will she be okay with the ducks?
I’m so sorry!

Merek’s disease unfortunately has various forms, the acute version, in some ways the most merciful version, does kill fairly quickly, other versions are more insidious and cause paralysis or tumor development among other things.

As you have merek’s in your flock it’s important to have a closed flock, no new chickens in or out while your current birds are alive or they’ll just spread the disease to the new birds. Im so sorry to say this, the odds are heavily in favor of all of your chickens succumbing to it eventually.

I would get your remaining goose and some of the ducks tested to see if they have the virus, or maybe have them tested at some point later when there’s no longer a chance that your chickens can spread the virus… I don’t know if it was merek’s that caused your other poor goose to get cancer or if it was a horrible fluke, but if it is the cause and your goose/ ducks have the virus they may pass it along to any new birds you get. If they don’t, then maybe consider getting another goose. Geese can learn to bond with ducks but ducks are fairly self centered and don’t really bond with geese if they have their own kind, and geese really do better with other geese.
 
I'm so sad to report blueberry (Wyandotte chicken) had Mareks disease. My goose Gretchen had cancer. I didn't actually get a written report. My vet just called me and told me everything, I didn't know that's how they did it. I'm devastated.

At first 2 of my hens were breathing heavy and sneezing for a few days. And I thought this was the beginning of it but they just stopped and are acting fine now. No one is showing symptoms yet which I don't understand because from everything I've read online about Mareks it says it spreads quickly and you can lose half your flock within 48 hours.

Now I only have one goose, she's been looking for her sister and I feel terrible. She has 5 ducks that she spends time with but they don't graze with her of course. Should I get her a partner? Or will she be okay with the ducks?
You could also have your chickens tested by an independent source, UC Davis veterinary hospital will test blood samples sent to them through their CAHFS system and you will receive the lab results via email.
I think their system still allows owners to do it but you can also have a veterinarian do it for you.

https://cahfs.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/submitting/submit-specimens

Its important to note that virus RNA starts degrading after 48 hours or sooner if kept in adverse conditions which means it’s critically important to get it to the lab before that time limit. If you ask CAHFS for their account number with FedEx you can receive a discount on shipping too.
 

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